405 Home Fall 2019

Inspired Design for Central Oklahoma

FALL 2019

Autumn Picnics A Primer

The House that Loves Built

Inside Tom & Judy’s Ongoing Masterpiece

Blooming Global

Flowers fit for a feast FALL 2019 405 HOME 1

Ross Flinton Homes and Ivy House Interiors © Photos by Esther

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SETTING THE NEW STANDARD

IN MODERN CABINETRY

From Italian high-pressure laminates to exotic natural hardwoods and two - part heat -cured paint finishes, the true test of modern cabinetry is clean lines and airy sophistication.

Visit our gallery and see how fresh inspiration meets leading-edge innovation. Discover our curated collections of custom- built pre-finished cabinetry, vanities, designer hardware and quality CambriaÂŽ quartz that showcase style, versatility, and individual personality.

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@wilshirecabinet

FALL 2019 405 HOME 3

4 405 HOME FALL 2019

FUR NITUR E • DR A PER IES • BEDDING • UNIQUE ACCESSOR IES

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12201 N. May Avenue • OKC, OK 73120 • 405.755.1000 • quailcreek.bank FALL 2019 405 HOME

5

Luxury Private Estate

Priced for Immediate Sale $695,000 Sqft: 9996 l 2.35 Acres

This spectacular custom home is the combination of style, quality, and an incredible entertaining lifestyle!

Tastefully appointed, exquisite, & intricate detailed solid woodwork

Numerous Living Areas • Study • Sunroom • 4 Beds 5 baths • 2 Master Suites • Tremendous Storage Oversized Jetted Tubs and Open Showers Chefs Kitchen • Walk-in Pantry • Cooler • Wine Cellar Lg. Saltwater Pool • Swim-up Bar • Diving Pool Inground Spa • 4 Car Heat & Air Garage1850 sqft.

Indoor Racketball Court • Upstairs Apt. with Kitchen, Living, Bed, Bath, & Balcony • 160k DaVinci Roof 140k improvements in the last 24 mo's

For Private Viewings: Contact Denise Greenfield 405-210-9047

I WAS 300LBS and mainly binged

on TV shows, ate way too much, and played video games for hours on end.

I lived in a 2-story house and became winded doing pretty much anything.

I had terrible back problems, knee problems and found myself in severe depression. I was a terrible example to my son and I knew that I wasn’t able to keep up with him. I was angry and I hated myself.

The key with CrossFit is to remember that every member is investing in themselves. It doesn’t matter if you’re 8 or 80, 100 pounds or 400 pounds. You can do CrossFit. Nothing warms my heart more than my son being happy and knowing that I am able to do so by being physically fit, it makes CrossFit worth every penny and every hour spent.

KIRSTEN MEMBER SINCE 2017

MIDTOWN

1501 N. BROADWAY AVE 405.458.0405

NORMAN

3501 WELLSITE DR. STE #125 405.777.3202

CROSSFIT405.COM // INFO@CROSSFIT405.COM 6 405 HOME FALL 2019

105 S BROADWAY EDMOND, OK | 405.844.7465 |

N A I F E H F I N E J E W E L R Y. C O M

VISIT OUR NEW HOME IN NICHOLS HILLS PLAZA 6 4 7 1 AV O N D A L E D R I V E

F I N E J E W E L R Y, F I N E A R T , AND EMBELLISHMENTS

FOR THE WHOLE HOME

FALL 2019 405 HOME 7

features 28

THE LOVE LIFE

DON RISI

Tom and Judy Love – yes, those Loves, founders of the plentiful Travel Stops & Country Stores – designed their home in 1975, and have had plenty of time to make adjustments since. While the footprint has grown from 6,000 square feet to nearly 11,000, the ambience under Judy’s thoughtful eye has only grown comfier and more welcoming.

8 405 HOME FALL 2019

akarenblackcompany.com 3013 NW 63rd St

|

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405-858-8333

Oklahoma Cit y

FALL 2019 405 HOME 9

departments Gallery 14 GREEN GLAMOUR Showcasing an inspirational shade made for all spaces 16 VELVET CRUSH Cooler temps are perfect for sharing love for a luxurious material 18 ENTERTAINING 101 Celebrate fall by taking the party outside 20 BE THE BEST GUEST Area designers share suggestions for considerate hostess gifts

Makers 24 ALPACA POWER! The warm, wooly story of Mustang Creek Alpaca Company 26 PERFECT PARING Legendary local chef Kurt Fleischfresser picks his one indispensable knife

Living 34 EAT A PLANT, SAVE THE WORLD OKC native Suzy Amis Cameron on her plant-based One Meal a Day program 36 WORLD-WIDE VIBE To map out your decorative style, consider the influences of global regions

Alfresco 42 A WORLD OF INSPIRATION Exploring this guide to global trends may help determine how your garden grows

36

44 WARMTH ALL WINTER A range of heating options for keeping the party on the patio in cool weather

on the cover Fall is a great time for outdoor dining in the 405, and a moveable feast for all of the senses is made even more beautiful with fresh fruit, rich cheese and a crusty baguette, styled by our resident visual genius Sara Gae Waters on page 16. Photo

by Rachel Maucieri.

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FALL 2019 405 HOME 11

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GALLERY

IDEAS, OBJECTS AND LIFE HACKS WE FIND FASCINATING, HELPFUL AND BEAUTIFUL

GIFTED AND TALENTED

bringing your host or hostess a little thank you is a tradition we love. Find ideas from design pros on page 20.

FALL 2019 405 HOME 13

gallery GREEN

Vintage wallpapers Table and lamp

from Ketch Design, 4416 N Western, OKC, ketchdesigncentre.com

from Mister Robert 109 E Main, Norman, misterrobert.com

Glasses, candle and woven glass bowl from Culinary Kitchen, 7222 N Western, OKC

Rug and velvet pillow from Designer Rugs, 7118 N Western, OKC, designerrugsokc.com

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GREEN GLAMOUR A shade for all spaces

BY JERI SALIBA | PHOTO BY SHEVAUN WILLIAMS

COLOR US GREEN, in the best way.

From the palest mint to vibrant jewel tone emerald, this is a color that brings personality to any space.

Green is our inspiration for this fall, and we have gathered some of our favorite pieces to share with you. Come along – go green with 405 Home.

Clothing and jewelry from

Cayman’s,2001 W Main, Norman, shop-caymans.com

Velvet bar, vase, hourglass and patterned pillow

from Henry Home Interiors, 3720 W Robinson, Norman, henryinteriors.com

Painting

from Tim Kenney Fine Art, Norman, timkenneyfineart.com

FALL 2019 405 HOME 15

gallery fabric

Pillows

from Henry Home Interiors, 3720 W Robinson, Norman, henryinteriors.com

Vintage wallpapers and fabric swatches from

Ketch Design, 4416 N Western, OKC, ketchdesigncentre.com

VELVET CRUSH

Love for a luxurious material

BY JERI SALIBA | PHOTO BY SHEVAUN WILLIAMS

Pumpkins from

Occasions, 2001 W Main, Norman, occasionspaper.com

Slippers from Christmas Expressions, 2214 W Lindsey, Norman Red velvet cupcake from Fancy

Cakes and Confections, 247 34th Ave SW, Norman, fancycakesandconfections.com

Frog Prince from

Cayman’s, 2001 W Main, Norman shop-caymans.com

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AS THE DAYS GROW COOLER IN OKLAHOMA, we seek to surround ourselves with lush fabrics. Enter velvet, a seductive textile that exudes luxury and transcends trends. No other fabric absorbs color with the intensity that velvet does. We do love it in all-out glam, but it works equally well in relaxed or modern spaces.

Assembled here is an array of velvet favorites that will elevate your space in a soft yet striking manner. Have a cozy winter!

7108 N. WESTERN, SUITE D1, OKC | 405.242.2227 |

@ARTISANTILESTUDIO FALL 2019 405 HOME 17

gallery entertaining

INSIDE HAPPILY OUT Prime conditions for taking the party outside

BY SARA GAE WATERS PHOTO BY RACHEL MAUCIERI

“Bringing the outdoors in” is always a popular refrain when I am entertaining, but now that we’ve reached the month of October, “bringing the indoors out” is especially apropos. The weather has cooled, daylight is still plentiful and I can’t think of an atmosphere more enjoyable than being outside.

While hauling a table out to the patio is a common activity around my home, this time it seemed easier to just pull up a couple of rugs, load up some cutting boards and plates with finger foods, pop the rosé and begin.

Figs, grapes and oranges, olives, prosciutto and veggies, along with crusty bread and cheeses, hard and soft, round out the spread – more than enough to satisfy your guests and leave them to linger enjoyably. And if you want to add in a little out-of-the-box fun, check out our “for the gram” piece online at 405magazine.com/405-Home/ for some inspiration.

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FINANCING YOUR HOME IS WHERE OUR HEART IS

For more than a century, we’ve been refining our home loan process to be as refreshingly simple as it is thorough. Our roots are in home financing, which is why we put so much care into providing comprehensive loan options, sound guidance and open communication. Contact one of our experienced and devoted mortgage loan officers to find out how we can help you get into the home of your dreams.

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STACY WILLIAMS NMLS 507327 405-507-3105

okfidelitybank.com 844-277-2163

FALL 2019 405 HOME 19

gallery gift giving

AMIE COOK

BE THE BEST GUEST Hostess gifts to show your gratitude

BY LILLIE-BETH SANGER BRINKMAN PHOTOS BY RACHEL MAUCIERI

IF YOU’RE INVITED TO A PARTY, or you’re the honoree of a bridal or baby shower, it’s probably a good idea to make a gesture of thanks for the time, effort and expense someone has undertaken on your behalf. A longtime tradition, host or hostess gifts aren’t strictly required for etiquette’s sake, nor are they the norm across the country, but they are common in 405. While a bottle of wine may be the most familiar example, and a note of gratitude is always nice, if you’re looking for some ideas, we asked some area designers to share their go-to gifts.

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AMIE COOK, WOOD GARDEN 7650 N Western, OKC Candles and diffusers are always a good choice, because people use them, and they fit in all styles of home. For Cook, these gifts are a safe bet, smell good and are welcomed because people buy them anyway.

ROSE CLARK, CHATEAU DESIGN AND INTERIORS 9209 N Penn, OKC Lately Clark has chosen acrylic holders that she fills with cocktail napkins or guest towels. They are useful, and look great when swathed in a clear wrapping with a ribbon. (as shown above)

AMY RAPPAPORT, AGR DESIGNS 7222 N Western, OKC Rappaport likes to take the 405 candle from Culinary Kitchen because it’s pretty, decorative and a nice addition to any coffee table. Plus, we’re big fans of the design.

BEBE BOLEN, FANNY BOLEN INTERIORS 2761 W Country Club, OKC Bolen matches her hostess gift to the occasion. For a festive Mexican-food-themed evening, she might bring a nice bottle of tequila. For a dinner party, a bottle of wine will work, but if it’s more formal, she’ll take Veuve Clicquot. And for a celebration during the day, she might give a Christian Tortu candle from her store.

Bringing the Best to You In Home Caterings & Events

Call to book your next event with us

405.272.0777

7 S Mickey Mantle Dr - OKC www.MickeyMantleSteakhouse.com FALL 2019 405 HOME 21

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DESIGN BY JENNIFER WELCH DESIGNS PHOTO BY JOSH WELCH PHOTOGRAPHY

MAKERS

MEET THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE LIFE A LITTLE LOVELIER.

STAR POWER

The face of an angel? Sweet, soft alpacas, and their heavenly coats have become an obsession – and a lucrative business – for Kathy and Mike Fleming.

Meet them on page 24.

FALL 2019 405 HOME 23

makers wool work

ALPACA POWER! Mustang Creek’s soft supply

BY MATT PAYNE

24 405 HOME FALL 2019

MUSTANG CREEK ALPACA COMPANY wasn’t born out of a lifelong dream. In fact, it was Kathy Fleming’s love of dogs that ultimately led her to discovering the adorable Peruvian creature with angelically soft fur and a face for comedy.

“While vacationing in the Mt. Hood area of Oregon in 2006, we came across a hobby farm advertising yarn for sale. The farm happened to be an alpaca farm,” Fleming says. “While the owner was telling us all about her alpacas, the cutest Great Pyrenees puppy named Charlie came out of the barn and sat at my feet. Charlie was in training to become a livestock guard dog. I was sold on the idea of buying alpacas – so that I could get a dog like Charlie.”

Though affection for a canine was the genesis of Fleming’s love for camelids, since that fateful rendezvous in 2006, Fleming and her husband Mike have dedicated their lives to the alpaca. Currently, 31 of them reside on the land surrounding the Flemings’ Mustang home, and Kathy uses their wool to create a multitude of products ranging from socks, hats and scarves to rugs.

Alpacas are part of the camel family and come to the United States mostly from Peru, Bolivia and Chile. The species are often mistaken for one another, but llamas weigh up to 400 pounds and are kept primarily as a source of meat, while alpacas are considerably smaller – weighing just 150 pounds – and raised only for fiber. Because of their fur, Alpacas have been treasured dating back to the Incan Empire.

Creating the perfect wool, Fleming explained to me, involves years of breeding. “Long before we make products, we decide which male will complement our females’ fleece, with the goal of always improving the fleece through the next generation,” she says. “After we shear the fleece, I skirt, or sort it by staple length and degree of softness. Softer fleece with a longer staple length is sent off to mom-and-pop mills to be made into socks or yarn for knitting and crocheting.

The coarser fleece is hand-washed, air-dried, carded and felted into a variety of items, such as dryer balls, shoe inserts and cat toys.”

Because of its warmth and ability to wick moisture and absorb odors, plus its heavenly texture, alpaca wool is most popular in the world of apparel and stuffed animals. More and more alpaca products are starting to appear in homes, especially in the form of rugs. These beauties are handsheared, handwoven and dyed with natural dyes all here in Oklahoma.

Mustang Creek Alpaca Company products can be viewed online at mustangcreekalpacas.com, and though the location of their farm is a secret – alpacas have become popular Instagram subjects, thus creating traffic jams in their neighborhood – Kathy and Mike hosted an educational display and assortment of merchandise at the Oklahoma State Fair’s Oklahoma Expo Hall. Not only could visitors feel how soft these rugs are for themselves, the Flemings rolled out with two alpacas from the herd.

FALL 2019 405 HOME 25

makers tools

PERFECT PARING The right knife for the job

BY GREG HORTON | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CHARLIE NEUENSCHWANDER

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CHEFS COLLECT KNIVES LIKE KIDS COLLECT FAVORITE TOY SETS. While it’s not exactly an obsession, it can come close – and that is to be expected, since the knife is the principal tool and symbol with which their craft is associated. For home cooks, the world of knives is usually limited to whatever varieties come in a set at a department or specialty store, or specific knives they see on favorite cooking shows. Every chef, it seems, has a favorite.

For Chef Kurt Fleischfresser, there is one indispensable knife: “When I travel and I know I’ll be cooking, I always take a bird’s beak paring knife with me.”

The paring knife seems to have fallen off in popularity since the latter part of the 20th century. Okie cooking from at least the Depression forward relied heavily on this little workhorse: peeling, slicing, seed removal, excising blemishes, etc. The paring knife was the home cook’s faithful go-to in the drawer. Perhaps cooking shows and rockstar chefs have helped with its demise … but Fleischfresser never gave up on it.

As part of their graduation gift from Chef Kurt’s apprenticeship program at the Coach House – a program that trained more than 40 future skilled professionals – new chefs would each receive a bird’s beak paring knife. They were widely used in the program, as well.

“The basic kit is paring knife, French knife and utility knife,” Fleischfresser says. “Every chef should have those in the knife bag. But it seems younger chefs are using bigger knives, often too big for the job at hand.”

In the kitchen, it’s a big mistake to use the wrong size knife, according to Fleischfresser.

Each knife has a practical application; it’s designed for a specific purpose or set of tasks.

The French knife is big, flashy, even threatening if you grew up on slasher films, and it is perfectly designed for chopping and mincing. On the other hand, it’s far less useful for peeling and blemish removal. For those smaller tasks, it’s ungainly, inefficient.

“The smaller size gives you better control for tasks that are done in-hand,” Fleischfresser says. “You don’t use a paring knife on a chopping board; it’s for tasks you do while holding the products, so control and precision are important.”

The small size makes the paring knife easy to keep near to hand, and the number of prep-related tasks it can handle is amazing – anything from peeling fruit to destemming peppers, slicing onions, removing mushroom caps and gouging out potato eyes. The bird-beak shape gives additional control when peeling, and the sharper point makes seed removal easier, so Fleischfresser prefers it to the straight blade.

The bird’s beak paring knife runs from about $9 to as much as you’d care to pay, with good quality models available in the $40-$70 range. Use a standard stone to sharpen, but be prepared for a little extra practice to get good at it due to the curved shape. Next stop, paring perfection.

FALL 2019 405 HOME 27

THE LOVE LIFE AT HOME WITH OKC ENTREPRENEURS JUDY AND TOM LOVE

BY LILLIE-BETH SANGER BRINKMAN PHOTOS BY RACHEL MAUCIERI

28 405 HOME FALL 2019

The family photos covering the walls are the first thing you notice about Judy and Tom Love’s Nichols Hills home. One wall has all the formal family portraits that they have taken every two years since 1968, starting with the Loves and three of their four children (since their youngest wasn’t born until the next year). Over the years, these photos grew to include spouses and then grandchildren, now totaling nine.

“That’s 50 years. Is that right?” Judy Love asks while giving a tour. “I’m so glad I did it. We like pictures, that’s for sure.”

One wall features each of her children, at around age 2, in rows – followed by their own children, taken when they were about 2, as well. In one of them, a Love grandchild wears the same outfit as his dad. Another wall has wedding photos; other areas are filled with photos of memories with friends and family members, reflecting lives full of good times with the people who love them and matter to them.

As a joke, someone put a picture of Russell Westbrook into a small, rhinestone-encrusted frame and stuck it right in the middle of the family photos on a front-room table. Judy Love, an OKC Thunder superfan, has kept it there, although she said she recently removed the Westbrook trim from her

Tom and Judy Love originally built their Nichols Hills home in 1975, and have added to it or remodeled 28 times over the last 44 years. Flowers – with the blooming red hibiscus standing out this summer – adorn the walkways and the flower beds in the front and back yards.

FALL 2019 405 HOME 29

“We like pictures, that’s for sure.”

—Judy Love

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car and a display at the office after he was traded to the Houston Rockets.

After the photos, you notice the art throughout: a blend of the Loves’ tastes and the life they’ve shared for more than 50 years. A lot comes from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s Prix de West invitational art show and sale; other pieces arrived because the Loves liked the color or the feel or the artist.

For the Loves, comfort takes priority, and their furniture and decor are welcoming – to their many family and friends and to the guests the Loves have entertained at parties through the years, often held for the many nonprofit organizations that benefit from the couple’s generosity.

One room is set up so the furniture can be rolled out, and tables for 60 people can be rolled in

One of Judy’s favorite paintings hangs in the cabana: Anna Razumovskaya’s “Red Tempo,” depicting women in flowing red dresses.

and set. Another, more cozy room that used to be the back porch can seat 28, and often entertains family members during the holidays. A room with a large tiled bar and a large TV welcomes people for ball games.

It also is where a committee met monthly for eight months and raised $6 million to honor the late Aubrey McClendon with a building at the Oklahoma River.

“Whenever we have a giant party, this is where everybody is,” Judy says with a smile.

The Loves designed, and Everett Dale built, this home in 1975. At the time, it was about 6,000 square feet.

Since then, the home has grown like the business they founded in 1964 in Watonga and built together, Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores. The couple has remodeled or added on to their home 28 times, making it close to 11,000 square feet now, said Judy. Only one room – a guest bathroom – remains untouched.

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Windows & Doors of Oklahoma

LIVING

EACH DAY, GIVE YOURSELF THE GIFT OF LIVING WELL

SUZY AMIS CAMERON

is a home-grown girl with dreams of saving the world, one plant-based meal at a time.

Her recent book offers a simple formula for global well-being. She shares her philosophy on page 34.

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living sustainability

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EAT A PLANT, SAVE THE WORLD Suzy Amis Cameron on One Meal a Day

BY GREG HORTON | PHOTOS COURTESY GRAEME MURRAY AND HARRY A’COURT

SUZY AMIS CAMERON wanted to be a flying veterinarian. The Oklahoma City native, who serves as creativity ambassador for Creative Oklahoma, became a model, actress and writer — but she started modeling to buy a saddle for a horse, and it was her love for animals that was pushing the then-teenager toward veterinary medicine.

“We had a farm near Turner Falls, where I got very involved in horseback riding, but I wanted a horse in the city, too,” she says. “My parents bought me a cutting horse, but my girlfriends had these beautiful purebred horses and they were into equestrian events like jumping. I wanted to be involved in that, too.”

She asked her father for a “small saddle,” the kind associated with equestrian competitions, but he refused, so she started babysitting to raise money.

“My father and grandfather were both pilots, so I started learning to fly when I was about 15,” she says. “The plan was to become a flying veterinarian.”

During her teenage years, Amis Cameron went to modeling school, which she describes as “very much the ‘put a book on your head’ variety.” She did well. Modeling gigs via Balliets and other local businesses paid much better than babysitting. At the same time, her younger brother was taking pictures of her to hone his photography, and those photos landed on a desk at the Eileen Ford agency in New York City.

“I went to New York, and met Eileen Ford,” Amis Cameron says. “I had no expectations; I was going to be a vet.”

An appearance on “The Merv Griffin Show,” in which Ford presented her as “the face of the ‘80s,” launched her career into a world that she calls, “180 degrees the other way (from what) I’d planned.” She lived in Paris for three and a half years, and still believed she’d move back to Oklahoma. Instead, she moved to New York City, where an acquaintance suggested she try acting.

“I studied acting for two years,” she says.

“I’ve had such a charmed life. Every step I took has led me to an opportunity that has taken me to another place.”

Acting eventually brought her into contact with the man she’d marry, Academy Award-winning director James Cameron, of Titanic and Avatar fame.

She never quite left Oklahoma behind, though.

“Being from Oklahoma instills a certain set of values in you,” she says. “I’ve raised my children with those same values: You work your butt off and you have the courage to take amazing opportunities, and then you work your butt off to stay in that space.”

Amis Cameron was in Oklahoma in late 2018 as part of her book tour. When the wildfires swept California, she had to return so the family could evacuate their ranch house, but she took some time at Commonplace Books to meet readers, sign books and talk about another topic near to her heart: plant-based eating and sustainable living.

In 2005, Amis Cameron and her sister Rebecca Amis started MUSE School, an independent, nonprofit sustainable school with a plant-based lunch program. The Calabasas, California, school was the first of its kind in the country.

Her son, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef, has focused his career on plant-based cuisine, as well. Amis Cameron talks about sustainability and veganism (or plant-based diets) as a way to make “real change in the world.”

Her new book, OMD: The Simple, PlantBased Program to Save Your Health, Save Your Waistline, and Save the Planet, focuses on changing one meal per day as a way to effect change.

“I thought I was really well versed in the issues,” she says, “but because of the researcher, Mariska van Aalst, I learned an enormous amount. She really helped me with the environmental issues the book addresses, and because I have no letters behind my name, I wanted to ensure the science was solid.”

Amis Cameron said she has “four more I want to write,” when we asked if she was working on another book. “I haven’t started on anything else yet. I just finished the third leg of the book tour for OMD.” The principles in OMD are applied in her family’s life, including at home. “The biggest piece of what makes a home for me comes from an environmental place,” she said. “Healthful food, organic products, including cleaning products, biodegradable, sustainable – these things help make a home happy.”

More than anything, she said, her home is a home. “It’s messy. The kids’ rooms are filled with stuff they love. We have four dogs, two rats, a bearded dragon – a menagerie, really. We surround ourselves with the cozy things we want to live in. If you don’t touch things, or get stuff dirty, it’s not a home.”

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living global decor

WORLD-WIDE

VIBE In search of international intention

BY JILL FARR PHOTOS COURTESY JEFF SHARP / PEAKRES

All decor begins somewhere. Design specialist Paige Smiley, of One 5 Collective, often begins her process with clients by simply asking to see pictures of what they like. If they’re relying on her to fill in gaps with her own imagination, she turns to her journeys for inspiration.

“Some of what I want to bring back with me after I’ve been traveling is literal: I see architecture or other elements that I want to use. But some of it is just a feeling I want to translate, or recreate, not simply replicating items,” Smiley says.

Her current home has a modern Scandinavian influence. “What resonates with me,” she says, “is the calm feeling in Scandinavian design. I’ve had flashier furnishings in the past, but the feeling I’m after now is different. I’m different.

We’re also different as a family; we weren’t outdoorsy at all back then.

Scandinavian design is very conducive to our lifestyle.”

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The world is filled with regions, aesthetic traditions and visual conventions, but for the sake of space, we’ve organized some major style schools into the four corners of the map, and offered some philosophical connections behind them that might strike a chord with you. This should help you identify your “place personality,” if you haven’t already.

NORTH

Many might think that the world’s love affair with Scandinavian simplicity (and Swedish meatballs) began with Ikea, but the history of this particular design movement – a fascinating blend of Viking austerity and coziness conjuring – has roots in the Modernism of the 1950s.

The Nordic region of the world has cold, short winter days, and it takes work to deal with a demanding climate. Functionality in dress and design is a consideration of energy expenditure, but the need for positivity in spirit is crucial when you look at the physical effects of so little sunlight during a significant part of the year.

Philosophically speaking, the Scandinavians have a strong common-sense focus. From the no-frills elegance of the Prose Edda to the pragmatism of Lutheran-influenced social democracy, the Scandinavian culture (and by extension its design outflow) showcases a marriage of comfort and efficiency.

Design elements: Clean lines, functional furniture and furnishings, light colors, natural materials, maximization of natural light, pale walls, organization SOUTH

When talking about traditional design schools, the division called “Tropical” would probably represent the Southern Hemisphere, broadly speaking.

Each Southern Hemisphere region has distinct decor and design elements, but some commonalities you find south of the Equator are floor plans designed to facilitate air flow, bright colors and bold statement pieces that reflect the drama of tropical beauty.

Interior Design for Every Aspect of Your Home 4 0 5 .74 8 . 5 7 74 • N O R WA L K F U R N I T U R E O K C . C O M FALL 2019 405 HOME 37

If your philosophy is one of boldness and a tendency to warmth, if you favor rich imagery … you might be drawn to decor strategies employed in southern regions. Traditions there are a combination of indigenous wisdom and the influence of colonialism, and this mix has influenced style, as well.

DESIGN ELEMENTS: Tile floors, white-

washed surfaces, bright colors, indoor plants (preferably tropical), bold statement pieces, heavy wood, ceiling fans, animal motifs EAST

The Eastern Hemisphere includes half of the world, but most people associate “eastern” with Asia, and while every Asian culture has a distinct and varied architectural and design history, with beautiful elements worthy of emulation, there’s one overriding aspect of a very specific area of Asian design sought by millions.

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AND THAT IS: ZEN.

Think of the simplicity of Scandinavian design, but with both philosophical background and concrete direction.

Mono no aware, the understanding of the transience of things, and wabi sabi, the appreciation of imperfection, are examples of the ideas that form the undergirding of this design attitude.

Ikebana, traditional Japanese flower arranging that highlights harmony, and engawa, the tertiary veranda space in many Japanese homes, are practical examples of putting this philosophy into form.

DESIGN ELEMENTS: emphasis on flow and removal of clutter, functional furniture, imperfection WEST

In the same sense that reducing the manifold cultures of other regions to a few generalizing sentences is

impossible, folding “The West” – even just one country, such as the United States – into a simple decor description is reductionist.

But for the sake of brevity, let’s say that the biggest association with the United States wins … in which case, it would likely be that of the American West.

In times past, that meant cowboy paintings and horse-related decor, and it still can. But it can also be expressed as Hollywood Glam, coastal, Southwestern and a slew of other niches. You can go rustic or refined, but an American Western focus will have an enterprising spirit. Open to change, variable, with distinct nods to the landscape wherever you are, from “sea to shining sea.”

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40 405HOSP HOME FALL 2019 MERCY ITAL PHYSICIANS TOWER

4200 W. MEMORIAL ROAD, SUIT E 101

PHYSICIA NS -OPT ICAL.C OM

405-749-4285

ALFRESCO

ENHANCING YOUR CORNER OF THE GREAT OUTDOORS

GOING GREEN

Nancy Muenzler, owner of Norman’s The Greenhouse, transforms outdoor spaces with global influences, and you can, too. Learn how on page 44.

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alfresco international

GLOBAL GARDENING

WORLDWIDE GARDEN GUIDE

A world of inspiration

Looking for …

BY JILL FARR | PHOTOS BY DON RISI

GARDENS SERVE A VARIETY OF USES. You may intend for yours to be a visual feast, a relaxing retreat, a space for entertaining or a combination of them all. But whatever its intended purpose, your garden needs an organizing principle – and if you’re lacking that vision, looking around the world for inspiration is a great place to start.

Landscaping visionary Nancy Muenzler, who has operated The Greenhouse in Norman for 30 years, said that international insight is her go-to for idea sparking.

“I’m fortunate that I get to travel,” Muenzler says. “I went to Amsterdam last summer, and I came back so enthused because of the cool weather, and completely enthralled with the pottery that I saw there. I went on a mission to find replicas of some of the pots I’d seen, and put some of those images to work.”

While the time a client can devote to upkeep is key in helping determine what plants to recommend, and the home and yard’s presentation and personality are also part of the decision-making process, pulling out mental pictures of multicultural design inspirations definitely fuels Muenzler’s innovative style – she’s part artist, part counselor and often, part mind reader.

“Many customers don’t know what they want,” she says. “Sometimes I have to guess, sometimes I have to draw it out of them. You’re trying to create something that’s going to be there year to year … but in the end, it has to be beautiful.

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Party Patio? Think Barcelona. Bright colors, modern lines – Barcelona blends beachy fun with cosmopolitan chic and Old World stature. Try largescale planters, running water features, ironwork, pergolas and a big dose of color. Terra cotta tiles and a citrus tree or three (yes, it’s possible) in moveable planters would add a touch of Iberian Peninsula pizzazz.

“The year before we went to the Netherlands, we went to Asia.”

Citing the continent as her favorite thus far in her travels, Nancy affirmed that the most requested international garden style follows an Asian theme. She also shared that it’s the most difficult look to achieve – even though design-wise, it would seem to be the simplest in the sense that it employs extreme minimalism.

“Yes,” she says, “everyone loves Asian gardens – and they love them for a reason; they’re beautiful and calming – but they are some of the hardest to do.”

WHY, YOU WONDER? “They do too much. It’s hard to exercise the restraint you need to get the effect of a true Asian garden.”

Muenzler cited a desire for trendiness as another reason to be a well-traveled landscape designer. “We were in a hotel in Barcelona, in 2003, that was already decorated in the contemporary design that we saw in Oklahoma five years or so later.

Things just don’t get here as quickly. Traveling is the way to stay on top of trends … because people do want trendy gardens.”

Cheery Calm? Try Amsterdam. The easy-going vibe of the Netherlands can be channeled with some lively colored pottery and floral choices that echo them. Tulips are as synonymous with the Dutch as wooden shoes and windmills, but the gardens that line the canals of Amsterdam offer a wide variety of texture and color. Evoke the compact elegance of those canal-side paradises with dense hedges, pools and potted pelargoniums.

Seeking Zen? Channel Kyoto. The spiritual center of Zen Buddhism in Japan, Kyoto holds some of the most beautiful examples of karesansui, the dry landscape gardens found in Buddhist temples. As the name implies, true karesansui have no water features, and some have only gravel and rocks (arranged to resemble water features). If austerity is not your goal, you could achieve some of the same calm by sticking to greenery only (ferns, trees, hedges) in the plant department, and installing gravel features and pergolas. Whatever you decide to use, follow Nancy’s advice: Just when you think you’ve pared it down as far as you can, take away something else.

It doesn’t matter when you start something, just get started.

Sharla Bush Owner, Sharla’s Boutique

Be #fierceinfinance

vbank.com

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alfresco heating

WARMTH ALL WINTER Keeping the party on the patio

BY JILL FARR | PHOTOS BY DON RISI

WHEN TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO DIP after the sizzle of summer, there’s an initial relief and period of patio-dwelling perfection, a time during which outdoor activities aren’t merely bearable, but actually pleasant.

However, that moderate interlude between scorching and shivering can be short-lived in Oklahoma. Just as soon as you’re acclimated to “slightly cool,” it can change to “actively cold” – and then the backyard goes from oasis to no man’s land.

Unless, of course, you bring some heat to the situation.

There are multiple options for heating or fire features that offer a variety of solutions, so the only question is: How hot do you want to get?

CHIMENEA The humble chimenea’s roots can be traced to Spain, where they were originally used for cooking, as well as heating. While you can pick up an affordable one at a big-box, home-improvement store, investing a little can provide more comfort for a longer period of time. Clay (especially terracotta) chimeneas are more traditional – make sure they’re treated to withstand high temperatures – but varieties that use modern materials such as cast iron are more durable. The chimenea’s shape, similar to a potbelly stove with a chimney, means that you can keep it burning even if it’s raining, and the containment generates a lot of heat. It’s not always easy to predict wind direction in Oklahoma, but if you can keep the chimenea’s back to the breeze, it burns more effectively. If you go for the clay variety, apply an acrylic sealant for protection, and reapply every 6 to 8 weeks during the season of use. Best for: Small spaces, mobility.

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FIRE PIT Chimeneas may be quaint conversation pieces, but nothing beats the dramatic touch of an honest-to-goodness fire pit. The term may conjure images of stone circles at campsites, and a backyard fire pit certainly can be as primitive as a metal bowl or brick, stone or tile edifice, but there are a host of more sophisticated incarnations, as well – check out Swanson’s Fireplace & Patio, 17 W 1st in Edmond. Fire pits can be built into tables, to accommodate seasonal versatility, and they can offer a more environmentally friendly fuel option with natural gas-fueled “logs” that can be ignited with the flip of a switch. (If running a gas line to your preferred location is a problem, refillable propane fire pits are available, too.)

Because there’s no front or back to a fire pit, warmth-seekers can sit all around it, making it a great choice for areas that are used for entertaining. Best for: Multi-directional heating, decorative flair.

OUTDOOR FIREPLACE If you like the containment of a chimenea and the boldness of a fire pit, an outdoor fireplace might be the touch your patio needs. If you have an outdoor living area that would benefit from a fire fixture that can act as a decorative anchor (many outdoor fireplaces are a great place for mounting a television, or providing a way to divide an outdoor kitchen from an eating area), a fireplace might serve better than an open flame option like a fire pit.

Since there’s a chimney to direct smoke, wind

changes won’t dampen your fire-fueled festivities. Best for: Outdoor living areas, containment.

PATIO HEATERS Restaurants with patio seating often make use of lamp-like heaters that can warm up a radius of 15 to 25 feet. While they aren’t the most elegant heating solution and they don’t offer the theater that fire does, they are effective, and can be unobtrusive and mobile. The large lampstand style isn’t the only one, either; wall or ceiling mounted options exist, as do smaller, tabletop versions. Best for: Entertainers and outdoor enthusiasts who don’t want a permanent fixture and aren’t bothered by looks.

Whatever solution you choose, just know that outdoor heating is an option that can keep your fall and early winter backyard enjoyment level high, even as the temperatures dip.

COMMON CONCERNS: For safety’s sake, any heating element (especially those that are using actual fire) should be within sight of the house, visible from a door or window. Keep a fire extinguisher handy, and don’t allow small children or pets (or tipsy guests) to go about unsupervised.

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48 405 HOME FALL 2019